The Ipswich Slayer
by Daughter of the Black
Summary: Buffy is sent to Spencer Academy, what secrets will she uncover, and what demons run afoul. Buffy x The Covenant
1. New Meat

The Ipswich Slayer

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy or The Covenant

Pairing: It depends.

Timeline: Pre Covenant, Alt. S3 (Snyder never let Buffy back in)

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Buffy groaned as she sat in the headmaster's office, what had her mother been thinking! Stupid Troll Snyder had refused to let her back in, so here she was, all the way across the country…in Massachusetts. Can you say witch trials? The minute the cab from the airport had hit the border of the town, she had been on edge. This place didn't feel right, in fact, it felt dead wrong.

Provost Higgins was reading over her file, the council had done some serious finagling to get her in here. It was ritzy school that didn't take just anyone, especially troublemakers.

He cleared his throat and Buffy snapped to attention, "Well, it seems everything is in order. I think you'll be very happy here Ms. Summers, one of the students will show you around," a knock came at the door, "Ah, here he is. Come in Caleb."

A handsome young man entered the room, "Sir?"

Higgins motioned for him to sit, "Sit, sit. Caleb Danvers, this is Elizabeth Summers. Her grandfather has made a generous contribution in her name for the school, and I would like you to show her around. Help her feel at home."

"Yes, Sir."

Higgins nodded, "I'm sure she'll fit right in with the four of you boys. I'll let you two be going, it was lovely to meet you Miss Summers."

Buffy stood up and leaned across the desk to shake the man's hand, playing the part of the pretty socialite, "I just know I'll love Ipswich and Spencer Academy!"

Caleb showed her out of the office, and the minute they were outside in the hall, the tension was palpable, "So are you staying in the dorms?"

Buffy gave a start at the sudden question, "Oh, um, no, I'm actually living near one of the old colony houses. My grandfather has owned the land for years, and his father before him etcetera, etcetera. Rather boring, you know."

Caleb swallowed almost imperceptibly, "Really, I don't think I've ever been there."

Buffy shrugged, "It's at the edge of the woods, not very exciting."

His eyebrows scrunched up, "You live in the old Marster Mansion?"

Buffy thought for a moment then nodded, "Yeah."

"The boys and I always thought that place was abandoned. Legend has it, that a witch used to live on the property, when she was attacked, she set a curse on the place."

Buffy scoffed, "A curse?"

Caleb grinned, "Yeah. Anyone who dared walk upon the hallowed ground would be cursed with her power of sight and be forced to see the souls of the witches wander the world. Silly isn't it?"

Buffy laughed, "It rather is, I mean, curses, witches, it might be a nice little fantasy, but I think that there would be a big downside to all that power."

Caleb looked at her, she squirmed a bit before shifting hesitantly, "You know, uh, corruption and all that. There is always a price and all that. Uh, you said something about others?"

Buffy prayed that he would follow her distraction, "Three others, Elizabeth. There's Pogue Perry, Reid Garwin, and Tyler Simms."

Buffy smiled congenially, secretly hating this whole lie, "Where are they? The way Provost Higgins talks about you guys, I almost expected you to be attached at the hip."

Caleb shrugged his shoulders, "They're around, probably in class, they'll be out in a while."

Buffy groaned, "Uh, school…classes. Will the torture never end?"

Buffy grimaced just as her guide started laughing, "That's how we all pretty much feel. The boys and I spend most nights at Nicky's, you're welcome to come. You know, if you maybe wanted to."

Buffy flipped her hair over her shoulder and put her hands on her hips, "It all depends on my fricken' watcher…guardian. Cause, you know, he watches me like a hawk, always telling my grandfather what I'm doing."

Caleb nodded and stopped walking, he leaned against a wall across from a door, a few seconds later a bell rang and students poured out of the room. A blonde boy smirked at Caleb and tilted his head in her direction, "Yo, Caleb, who's the new meat?"

A boy with long hair shook his head lightly at the other boy and smiled at her, "I'm Pogue, and this is Reid, and Tyler."

Buffy tugged gently at her blazer and forced herself to smile, "Elizabeth, Elizabeth Summers. I'm new."

Caleb looked at his friends, "She lives at the old Marster place."

Reid grinned, "You know, that place is pretty freaky, you sure a girl like yourself is safe there?"

Buffy rolled her eyes, "I suppose, you wouldn't be offering your _services_, would you?"

Tyler who had been silent snorted; Pogue joined him and smiled, "I like you, not scared of the big bad Reid."

Reid snarled at his friends, "Why do you guys always ruin my fun?"

Buffy grinned, "Besides, I could be a homicidal maniac, are you sure, that it isn't you who needs protecting. I have been suspected for murder what, three times now."

Buffy started towards the main doors, she saw Wes sitting on his motorcycle, ignoring the fact that she was wearing a skirt, she straddled the bike and waved as the engine revved to life.

It seemed, that school wouldn't be quite so boring as she had suspected, especially with people like Caleb around.


	2. Red Herring?

She sat at the desk in the huge library. She could practically feel him breathing down her neck, "God, Wes! Could you like, chill. I'll find the thing that attacked me, then I'll slay, then you'll buy me pizza!"

Wes fidgeted, "Yes, Buffy. But you know that it is my job to keep you safe, and if I don't report into Quentin about your progress, we'll both face disciplinary action."

Buffy groaned and let her head fall onto the Latin text in front of her, "Do you even hear yourself? You're reverting back to stodgy British man."

Wes tugged at the collar of his sweater, "Yes, well, I don't want to lose my post."

"Giles didn't lose his post! he was just relived of watching me. He is in charge of the hellmouth, while you take me to some backwater town. I still don't get why I have to pretend Travers is my grandfather," Buffy ran a hand through her hair.

Wes coughed, "Well, it was purely a strategic plan, of course. Now, could it be a Gnarlox demon? The frills on the head would fit."

"It wasn't just the demon though. there were two vampires with him, crappy dressers by the way, no tats or scars. The one that nearly bit me said something a bout toast. Kissing toast, he lived for kissing toast. You know what I don't get, if Kendra died, shouldn't there be a new slayer?"

Wes was frowning as he shuffled through some papers, "Kissing toast. No, the council says that no new slayers were activated, they even used a spell to see if they had missed a girl like they did with you."

Buffy rested her head in her hands, "So, if there is no new slayer, does that mean, that I'm the one and only again?"

Wes nodded, "Yes. That is what the council deducted, except not in quite those words. The theory is, that the power goes to the next, living, girl who is best for the position. Since you were alive when Kendra passed away, the power returned to you….Kakistos!"

Buffy yawned, "Cool…wait, what? Khaki trousers?"

Wes rolled his eyes, "Kakistos, it's Greek for the worst of the worst. A vampire actually took that name, he is so old, that his hands and feet were cloven. Could it have been Kakistos?"

Buffy stared at the ceiling for a moment before biting her lip, "That sounds right. So what's the sitch tonight?"

Wes looked up from his book, "I think preparation and precaution are paramount here. I'd like you to do a basic sweep early on then try and find any demon hangouts, and then do a late sweep of the town. It's Friday, so you should be careful."

Buffy stuck her tongue out at the watcher, "Here I was hoping you would tell me to go have some fun. I mean this kind of cute guy invites me to hang with him at some restaurant, and you tell me to go kill things. I don't think you understand how a social life works."

"Hmmm, oh, yes, have a good time on patrol, don't forget to be cautious," Wes waved her off, not really listening.

Buffy stalked out of the library and up to her room, she slid on her red leather pants and her black tank top, she slid her boots on and grabbed her leather jacket, sliding stakes into the sleeves. She grabbed her cross necklace from the drawer. her fingers brushing the one Angel had given her. Buffy bit back the sorrow that would threaten to consume her.

She made it out of the house and down the driveway before her brain started to work, "Great, does he expect me to walk the mile into town?"

Sighing unhappily, Buffy altered her course and started into the woods, her senses abuzz, something was out there. She found a path with a worn sign that told her it was the way to part of the old Ipswich colony. Buffy shrugged her shoulders and decided to take a walk, the sun fell lower in the sky, and soon it was night, lit only by the moon and the stars.

Buffy was getting nervous, something wasn't right; it was too silent, the farther she got from the mansion, the quieter it got. Finally she got to a clearing; the clearing was more like a town square than anything. There were more than a dozen houses, and what looked like gallows, and stocks, as well as what was, unmistakably, a church.

Buffy moaned as her stomach clenched, it wasn't vampires here. something else was setting off her senses. Buffy staggered down the lane, the moon lighting the path, it ended at a broken iron gate, and the place was overgrown. It was a cemetery, four large headstones drew her attention, and each had an all too familiar name on it. Garwin, Perry, Danvers, and Simms.

Buffy backed away, something was really going on in this town, and it could not be just a happy coincidence. As she left the cemetery, she passed another headstone that was nearly entirely covered by moss; she just shook her head and made her way out of the gate, and out of the town.

Buffy jogged back to the main road and into the modern town, she did a very quick patrol and asked a few vampires where she could find the local bar. Each had given the same place, The Red Herring. Apparently it was run by a Bracken demon named Doyle. A good guy, for a half demon, it was the only demon bar in town, in fact, it was practically at the center of town, seeing as how there wasn't much town.

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By the time Buffy returned, she had figured out most of the hot spots for demonic activity, and memorized the basic layout of the town. She let herself inside and yawned, it was just before three in the morning, and she saw the light in the library was still on. Wes was hunched over a book, Buffy stretched and dropped into the chair across from him.

"I'm back. A few vamps, mostly newborns, no demons, and no whispers of Kakistos," Buffy told him.

Wes looked up at her, "Very good. Four young men stopped by earlier this evening, they seemed very anxious about something."

Buffy yawned again and she stood up, "Come on, let's call it a night. We have all day tomorrow to talk about all this happy perky fun stuff."

Wes nodded his head, "Yes that is true."

The pair went to work turning the lights out before going upstairs, Buffy said goodnight to Wes and went to her room, shedding her clothing and putting on her nightgown. Beneath the covers, her mind began to whir to life that creepy old town was just too weird, and the demon bar was getting more curious by the moment.

Something was bothering her about the boys, maybe it was just paranoia, but their names, and the graveyard added up to three at the moment, and she couldn't figure out why.


	3. Power Outageagain  Damn ComEd

A/N: **This should answer all your questions**

You may see the Scoobies, but not as main characters. Angel has not come back…yet. Giles is the 'watcher' of the hellmouth, sort of like a field researcher.

She has to pretend that Travers is her grandfather so she could get into the school, she doesn't really know why she had to go to this school, except that it had elevated paranormal activity.

Dawn does not exist! I do like her, she just doesn't fit with the story, we may see Joyce, but not in a huge capacity.

As for why all the demonic activity, it is part of the plot. The gist is, it has the beginnings of a hellmouth, and because things are already weird in Ipswich, people have Sunnydale syndrome, only much worse!

I haven't decided about Faith, she may be mentioned, like as a Potential sent to Giles in Sunnydale, but probably not. We'll see.

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Caleb shook his head and slammed the book closed, "Damn it, Elizabeth's in danger, and we have to do something!"

Reid threw his own book down, "We already went by earlier, she wasn't there."

Caleb glared at him, "She wasn't in town either!"

Tyler yawned, "Look, we'll go by tomorrow morning, if she isn't there, then we'll worry."

Reid locked his jaw, "I don't even know why you care about this so much. Half this town is probably cursed and you don't go around in tights trying to protect everyone."

"I don't know why, alright? She just…there's just something about her that feels different, powerful."

Pogue cleared his throat and grinned, "I say we go with Tyler's plan, or risk getting called stalkers. So her guardian, the British guy, what do think is up with that?"

Reid shrugged his shoulders, temper already cooling off, "Seemed kind of jumpy to me, almost like he was expecting bad news."

Tyler laughed, "Maybe he found out tea is a dead liquid."

Pogue hit him in the stomach, "So, tomorrow we check her out…I mean the place."

Caleb ignored the slip, "Yeah, then we can figure out what to do. At least now we know that the curse is real, and since _we_ can't get it off the place, we may have to…I don't know if we can trust her."

Reid's temper was blazing again, "You want to tell her! Mr. Its Addictive and a secret, want's to tell. Figures."

Pogue looked equally outraged, "She gets to know, but my girlfriend can't?!"

Tyler stood up and slammed his fists down on the table, "Now, as the only objective one here tonight, I say you all need to think about it for a minute. She's an innocent, and we have to keep her safe, if we have to tell Elizabeth, we have to, but that isn't today, or tomorrow. Got it?"

The four resumed their lazy positions, and the Sons of Ipswich exchanged looks.

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_You know not what you are, not what you are to become. You have a long way to go. Miles to go before you sleep, miles to go._

Buffy stared at her surroundings. It wasn't the desert, or the whiteness she had dreamed before. This was different, more real. She was in a cage, and it burned, it burned, and smelled acrid. It glowed, red like the fire it was drawn from. The steel bit into her feet, melting the skin around it like salt on ice.

She tried to lift her feet, but she was locked up so tight, that it was impossible to move, she settled instead on looking around. A few feet below her, was a man, he lay beneath a dozen stones, and yet he cried for more, wanting to feel the pressure pushing down on him. To the left was a wall, a wall filled with spikes, whips, and dozens of other devices she had never seen. To her right, she saw those _things_ being put to _good_ use.

The screams echoed, and the harsh slap of leather on flesh resounded. The worst sound, however, was the rhythmic thumping from the coffin a few feet in front of her.

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The pounding intensified, and became more urgent, but it was also growing distant. Still strolling between conscious thought and the dreamland, Buffy groaned and rolled over. That awful pounding was only a figment of her imagination, only a dream. But, the noise didn't stop, and whoever was at the door was very persistent.

Stumbling down the hall wrapped in her comforter, she pushed the double doors, to Wes' bedroom, open and slipped inside. It was warm, almost like a California night. Buffy crawled onto the bed and burrowed beneath the covers. She shifted lightly so she could see Wes' face.

"Wes," she whispered.

He rolled halfway onto her, trapping her between him and the mattress, his arm locked firmly around her.

She was only slightly disturbed, but he was warm, and warmth trumped the wiggins almost every time, "Wes, someone's at the door, and I'm not really dressed."

His arms tightened around her before his eyes opened, "Huh-oh, Buffy. Oh, the power went out, again."

Buffy nodded into his chest, "I guess so, and somebody's at the door."

Wes yawned and slipped out of bed, "I'll go see who it is."

Buffy whimpered and rolled over onto his spot, "Cold."

Wes smiled and tucked the covers around her, "Be right back."

He padded down the stairs and to the door, swinging it open he found the young men from last night, "Hello."

Caleb smiled, "Hi, I-we were wondering in Elizabeth was home."

Wes nodded, "She is, but she's not up yet. Is there something I can help you with?"

Pogue traded glances with the others, "If you could just tell her we stopped by."

Wes paused for a moment before stepping aside slightly, "You can stay if you like. I'm just about to wake her anyway."

The four boys took seats in the living room while Wes went back upstairs.

Pushing his door open, he saw the lump under the covers, smiling to himself, he drew them off, only to be met with Buffy's face, eyes closed, slightly blue in the face.

His heart raced, and he pulled the covers off her, and laid her flat, she had been fine only moments ago, and now she looked lifeless, even in sleep, she always looked animated, always ready always ready to grab the knife hidden beneath her pillow.

Wes struggled to remember his training, now, in a crucial moment it had all gone from his head. At last, he leaned down, putting his hand near her mouth, only, she wasn't moving, and she wasn't breathing, but she couldn't be dead, not Buffy.


	4. Bevel Knife Exploits

Wes pulled Buffy's body down, laying her flat, one hand took her pulse, it was weak, and the other tilted her head back. Pressing forcefully on her chest, he counted, panic was clear in his eyes. Bending down, he breathed into her mouth, willing this to work.

After several more breaths, he heard a ragged, slow, intake of breath, Wes thanked the powers for that. Her heart had never stopped, a few minutes later, and it might have.

He helped her to sit up, she wrapped her arms tightly around him, to scared to let go. Wes stroked the girls hair, not sure exactly what to do. He remember reading how traumatized she had been the first time she had died, he knew that all he could do for her was hold her.

"Wes," her watery voice was muffled, "who was at the door?"

He clenched his eyes shut, she was avoiding, just like she did last time, "Those boys. They're waiting downstairs for you. Would you like me to tell them you don't feel well?"

Buffy shook her head into his chest, "No, could you just stay with me while I change. I don't know what happened, one minute the covers were under my chin, the next they were pushing down on me."

Wes rocked her back and forth, "It's alright, everything will be alright."

Untangling her from him, Wes went over to his clean laundry basket and pulled out a pair of sweat pants and a gray t-shirt. Handing them to Buffy, he went to turn around when she shook her head, pivoted, so her back was to him.

After she was dressed in his clothes, she moved shakily to the door, Wes hurrying to her side. With his arm around her, supporting her, she felt safer, stronger. Together they went downstairs and into the living room, Buffy yawned prettily for show before huddling into a ball on the couch.

Caleb brightened when Elizabeth came into the room, she looked no worse for wear, "Hi, sorry to wake you, but the boys and I were wondering if you wanted to do something today, maybe go bowling, or something."

Buffy arched a delicate eyebrow, "I got some free time today after lunch."

Pogue grinned broadly, "Great, we'll pick you up at noon?"

Buffy glanced at Wes, he gave an almost imperceptible nod, "Noon it is."

Buffy stood up and showed the boys out, she put on a fake smile and waved cheerily as they went.

Turning around, she came face to face with Wes, "So, watcher-mine, what is on the menu for today?"

Wes pushed her towards the library, "While you work out, I'm going to look into the history of this town, something just doesn't feel right about it. Maybe there is some sort of spirit in the house that is causing all these incidents."

Buffy yawned again, "Caleb mentioned a witch who cursed the land during the trials, but it's not like Travers would send us here without knowing, would he?"

Wes's face darkened, "He would."

Buffy stuck her tongue out at the mere prospect of the man.

Wes chuckled slightly, "At least we have a starting point now."

Buffy flopped down on the table, "I have to go bowling, as cute as those boys are, bowling is so not of the good. Last time I went bowling, I had to kill a demon with a bevel knife it was really gross."

"What's a bevel knife?"

"It's a triangular three sided knife, pretty handy, punctures the skull very nicely. Seriously though, very foul."

Wes rolled his eyes, but indulged her, "I'm sure it was."

"Hey, Wes, what are we going to do for Halloween this year?"

He glanced at her, "I thought that would be obvious, patrol."

Buffy whimpered, "That's a misnomer! Demons and vamps stay in on Halloween, they don't like it!"

Wes sighed, they still had a week until that particular holiday, and he was feeling nice, "Alright, you can do whatever you want, but, no parties here, and you have to make a quick sweep before and after."

Buffy grinned triumphantly and went over to her mat to warm up, "Deal!"

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Sorry I haven't updated, I've been pretty sick, but hey, I'm a medical mystery. Joy! So here is a chappie. Hope you enjoyed.

I haven't really decided what pairing this will be. It could be that Angel comes back and they get together, it could be Wes, or Oz, or anyone really. So if you have someone in mind, just let me know, so I have a nice pool of guys to pick from.


	5. Ownage!

Buffy groaned as she slipped her feet into the rented shoes, how squicky. Caleb, Pogue, Reid, and Tyler were lacing up their own shoes. Buffy stood up and looked at the balls, picking up a 14 pound ball she easily carried it back to their spot.

Pogue followed her example, "So boys, how are we going to play? Teams?"

Buffy gave him an incredulous look, "I know I'm not good at math, but I could swear that five people makes for not even teams."

Caleb smiled, "I'll bowl by myself, but you guys have to go easy on me."

Reid smirked, "If we do that, you'll win, you know that Tyler and I are only sub-par bowlers, and Pogue there has never beat you."

Caleb raised his hands in surrender, "Okay, bring it on bleach boy."

As Caleb walked over to get his ball, Reid called after him, indignantly, "I'm a natural blonde!"

Buffy put a hand on Reid's shoulder, "Maybe he's the one hiding something."

Reid snorted into his hand, "I think, maybe you're right."

Pogue smiled, "Okay boys, and girl. Let the games begin…time to thrash Caleb!"

Tyler smirked, "Buffy, you're up first."

Buffy sighed and picked up the ball, putting a little swing in her steps, "Here goes."

Drawing back, she let her hand swing forward and she released the ball, making sure to refrain from using extra strength. Crossing her fingers she turned around, not wanting to see her results.

Pogue stood up and cheered as the ball hit the pins, he cam ran over to her and picked her up, "One pin left! Caleb, you're going down, The blondes rock!"

Reid stood up, "Well me an Tyler, we got a better name!"

Tyler looked surprised, Caleb looked intrigued, "What?"

Reid coughed and then smirked, "Team We're Better Than You!"

All five cracked up, Buffy took a deep breath, "I like it, it's got that triumphant feel about it."

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It was Caleb's last ball, and he was a good 150 points behind Buffy and Pogue, Tyler and Reid were 30 points behind The Blonde team. Caleb smiled, closed his eyes and rolled the ball granny style down the lane. It went for a few feet then sloped into the gutter.

Buffy hissed in empathy for him, "Darn, and here I thought you would make a big comeback. Ownage!"

Reid smirked, "Yeah, Caleb, what happened to Mr. Macho?"

"I think he's Mr. Masochism for trying to bowl against the two dynamic duos," Tyler high-fived her.

Caleb came back and sat down, looking pathetic, "Now you have to cheer me up since I lost."

Buffy looked thoughtful, "Since enquiring minds want to know, you may ask me one question, and I will answer truthfully."

The boys glanced at each other, "Huddle," Pogue said.

The quartet went down a few yards so Buffy couldn't hear, and they spoke in hushed voices.

They walked back over to her, all seriousness, "Okay, what is the wildest thing you have ever done?"

Buffy looked thoughtful, "I ran away to Vegas with my boyfriend, who was three years older than me, when I was 16, and I worked as a waitress, in one of those tiny bunny outfits at a casino."

All of their eyes widened.

"So," Buffy said, rising, ready to go, "What's happening for Halloween? It is this week."

Reid looked at her, "We usually go as some kind of matching thing, always have."

Tyler nodded in agreement, "When we were kids, we went as the Beatles one year, and then the A-Team."

Buffy frowned, "This year?"

Caleb shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know? What about you?"

Buffy smirked, "You'll just have to wait to drool."

With that she started off, leaving the boys to start drooling about the possibilities.

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I do intend to have a Halloween chapter; if you have suggestions for their costumes they will be greatly appreciated. For Wes too, but if anyone suggest Giles and the Sombrero scenario, there will be consequences…hehe.


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